House Arrest!

I’m running out of sites to browse, my fingers are already exhausted from channel flicking, and I’m tired of glancing on the clock and watch its hands tick so slowly. I’m so booored! This is what you get when you over-exhaust yourself from strolling around Enchanted Kingdom…house arrest for one week! I had some little spotting a night after that gimik and so here I am confined in my in-laws’ house and overly bored. I had my prenatal check up yesterday and OB assured me there’s nothing to worry about (cervix is intact..thank goodness!). I was prescribed a uterine relaxant (isoxilan) and was instructed to rest for a week. With the holidays ahead, at least I’ll just be on leave for 2 days.

According to Babycenter, here’s how baby is growing:

Your baby now weighs about three-quarters of a pound and is approximately 10 1/2 inches long — the length of a carrot. His eyebrows and eyelids are fully developed. And you can certainly feel him move. He's oblivious to your schedule, though, so don't be surprised if he starts working out just when you're settling down for the night. If you're having a girl, her vagina is formed now, though it will continue to develop until birth.

I’m on my 21st week already…excluding the scary spotting episode I had..everything is just fine. I now weigh 110 lbs (the heaviest I’ve been in my entire existence!). An increase of 4 lbs from last month is just enough. According to the pregnancy book I’m reading, I should be attaining an average of 1 pound increase a week. With the appetite I have right now, I wonder how heavier pa I’ll get in the months to come.

Little One is getting super active and malikot na. I usually feel the movements early in the morning (upon waking up), lunch time, merienda time, and after dinner time. Hmm o di ba tuwing meal times. Probably, giving me cues that he/she’s is also hungry or full. He’s most malikot at night time while hubby and I are watching TV. Since we’re idling and just lying down, this is the time when we talk to him/her and guessing which part of my belly he/she’ll next poke at. Hay kaaliw talaga…the simple joys of pregnancy.

To hubby’s dismay, my OB didn’t advise to have my ultrasound yet. We’ll just have it on my next visit daw since I’m scheduled to have my placental positioning checked by next month as well as the congenital screening (CAS) so para one-time na lang daw. Hubby was a bit disappointed kasi he’s anxious and excited to know na if “little one” is a “he” or “she”. So time to place your bets?

Dad-In-The-Making.

I’m sure you have an idea how Paul and I fervently waited for almost 2 years for our “little one” to come into our lives. So aside from the excited Mommy-in-the-making me, the thrilled soon-to-become-Dad also deserves some spotlight in my Pregnancy Tales journaling.

* Breaking the News to Shrek.
July 6 (Friday) – Paul got up and prepared for work ahead of me. I was four days delayed that time but was clueless of the big news since I felt PMS-ing for days and I expected the red flag would be up any moment. But just to convince myself and to confirm that the visitor would indeed come, I secretly tested. Lo and behold, the second pink line appeared abruptly leaving me staring at it unblinking, unmoving and speechless. Initially, I’d thought of cooking up a surprise (with all the drama and effects) when I reveal the news to my dear husband, but I just couldn’t contain my excitement that I right away showed him the kit upon stepping out of the bathroom. I can still remember his facial expression; he was so shocked that he asked what it was (although he already knew what that means). After a moment, he smiled, hugged me, then he danced crazily. Then his next statement: “Magkakaroon na tayo ng Baby Ogre!” He just had a haircut then so kalbong-kalbo ang asawa ko that time. His shaved head resembled Shrek’s bald head (minus the weird ears of course).

* The Doting Dad.
When I was going through the rough times of my first trimester, I saw once again how the husband is so caring..so patiently doting and so understanding of my needs. With the appetite and with all the aversions that I had, he’d ask what I want for pasalubong. Since I was diagnosed with Hyperemesis Gravidarum (severe morning sickness) during my first trimester, I was on sick leave for 3 weeks in August. I didn’t go to work as I was so weak with all the throwing up sessions that I had. The husband would always buy me whatever would appease my taste buds. He’d also prepare me a glass of Anmum milk when I was so drained of energy to get up at night. He’d also wake up when I need to pee in the middle of the night. He’d also check on my shirt and blanket at night baka daw kasi exposed ang tummy ko. Baka daw malamigan si baby (niyek!). When I complained about my chronic back pains, he’d always see to it that the mattress is properly positioned so I’d sleep comfortably.

When my tummy started to bulge and I couldn’t fit anymore in my regular clothes, he was the one who insisted we shop for maternity clothes na. Naaawa daw siya kay baby kasi naiipit. In fact, he was the one who excitedly chose the preggy blouses that we bought. I shopped for a number of blouses that time so that I have something decent to wear when I go to the office. I am contented with the number I bought since maternity clothes are quite pricey. Pero ang tatay, di pa kuntento and masyadong naaaliw and he’s insisting again that we shop for more para di daw nakakasawa. Hmmm, it’s so very unhim. The usual him kasi is scrimpy. Hehe!

The doting husband/dad also makes sure that his schedule is free on each of my pre-natal check-ups. Even though the waiting queue is quite long and would often take hours before our turn, he’s patiently waiting kahit na minsan he’s so naiinip na. Although, he doesn’t actively participate when my OB and I discuss, he listens attentively naman.

* The Bonding Time.
My husband now kisses me more often. Yun nga lang, more on sa tummy ko. I only get two smacks (morning and evening) while my tummy get kissed several times in a day. Whenever he picks me up from work in the afternoon, he always touches my tummy and asks the “little one” how his/her day was in the office.

Very often, Paul also talks to the little one:
- “Baby, paglaki mo tuturuan kitang maglaro ng DOTA.”
- “Baby, paglaki mo tuturuan kitang maglaro ng basketball.”
- “Baby, paglaki mo tuturuan kitang magsayaw.”
- “Baby, dapat good boy ka ha?”
Yes, he’d always talk to the “little one” like that… he’s so sure that we’re having a baby boy which I always contradict naman. We have an opposing preference kasi on the gender for our firstborn. Hehe! To further annoy me, he even calls the little one “Junior”! Of course, these are just part of our fun preggy bonding moments. Seriously, we’re always praying “kahit ano, as long as normal and healthy”. Just a few more weeks, we get to finally know the gender.

* The Inspired Dad.
My husband has always been the hardworking man. He’s smart, savvy and so spirited to work. This is the reason why he truly deserves the promotion that he’s given last month (not to mention the hefty pay increase, woohoo!). With all the blessings that we got this year especially with the coming of the “little one”, the dad is inspired to work even more. He’s now given greater tasks and more complicated role and yet he feels more hyped and challenged instead of feeling alarmed and antsy.

So there goes the “little one’s” dad as we both journey through this pregnancy. It’s still a long way to go but I just can’t wait to see how they’ll bond, cherish and love each other more when the “little one” finally comes out.

Almost.

I have a confession to make.

** on a guilty note **
I almost have this blog deleted during my two-month hiatus.

I didn’t know what was in me; again, perhaps these crazy hormones were whacking me that bad then. For the longest time, I never visited nor even peeped. Just like how the thought of greasy foods made me puke, just the mere sight of this online sanctuary of mine made me feel queasy thus; I was tempted to permanently get rid of it.

I have always heard that pregnancy could sometimes make you crazily “insane” (crazy na nga, insane pa). I’m just glad that I didn’t give in to that ridiculous idea. Now, that I’m starting to get my mojos back, I suddenly realized…hey, why would I trash this precious journal where I have been keeping memories for the last 2 ½ yrs of my existence. It’s so so so bad of me to have thought of that. As I go through each corner, page and space of this blog…each posts stashed in the archives, the digiscraps I made, the counter hits, the site referrers list where my wedding stuffs get most of the hits, all the love in the tagboard and mybloglog…dawned on me, this is my online home and will forever keep it that way.

18 Weeks.

Has it been “ages” since I last made my presence felt in this nook?

I know I’ve been such a bad blogger these past weeks or should I say in the recent months. But c’mon, I know you’ll gonna buy my excuse:

I am one lazy preggo blogger.

Period. Hehe.

I dunno what’s in me but probably that’s one of the wonders that pregnancy brought to me. Totally turning your life around in 360 degrees or even more. Liking what you used to dislike and disliking what used to be your favorite. Doing things that you didn’t dare you can do and not doing what seems to be a part of your routinary old self.

* Haven’t blog.
* Haven’t digiscrapped.
* Paid blogging halted.
* KFC products now make me feel queasy.
* From being a sleepyhead, I am now an early-riser at 8 am.
* I am more psyched to work despite the hefty workload.
* I hate fast foods and I do now patronize the food in our pantry.
* I crave for foods I used to dislike: pansit, mongo, tuyo.
* I loathe foods I used to devour on: burgers, fried chicken, siomai.

Well, that’s how I’ve been for four months already. Time flies indeed so fast. I didn’t notice that I’m almost half way into this journey. Daming nangyari and yet, I know, a lot is stored for us in the weeks and days to come.

For those of you asking, I’m sailing through my pregnancy just fine (no more morning sickness and other grueling first trim woes..hurray!). Going into 19 weeks, my appetite is back and I’ve regained the weight I lost due to the vomiting sessions I had. “Little one” is likewise, doing well. Although, he/she made us a little worried at 3 months when the Doppler couldn’t detect his/her heartbeat..turned out, I had a wrapped-around, low-lying placenta as captured in the ultrasound. Although not a major concern at this early stage (since this will hopefully go up as the uterus expands), I was given duphaston and duvadilan to take for several days and Paul and I were mandated to go on a bed “diet” until the 6th month. Poor hubs! Pero according to him oks lang…anything for our little one.

I’ve also started to feel little flexes and bubbly movements inside, although not that evident yet but I’m certainly enjoying those light pokes, “gassing” and “wavy” moves every now and then. My belly has started to show na rin kaya I’m wearing na maternity blouses, preggo slacks, jeans and capris. Most of the time, movement is controlled because of the punishing back aches and pain in the groin area that I’m experiencing. I can somehow sleep comfortably pa naman pero I’ve learned to sleep lying on my left side na (to improve blood flow daw especially as the tummy gets bigger).

Here’s what babycenter says about our “little one” on its 18th week.

Head to bottom, your baby is approximately 5 1/2 inches long (about the length of a large sweet potato) and she weighs almost 7 ounces. She's busy flexing her arms and legs — movements that you'll likely start noticing more and more. Her blood vessels are visible through her thin skin and her ears are now in position and stand out from her head. Myelin (a protective covering) is beginning to form around her nerves, a process that will continue for a year after she's born. If you're having a girl, her uterus and Fallopian tubes are formed and in place. If your baby is a boy, his genitals are noticeable, though he may hide them from you during an ultrasound.